The provincial government must increase acute care capacity and resources.

Every day we experience an under-resourced system that does not provide Albertans the care they need. Edmonton hospitals also support surrounding areas, northern Alberta and other provinces. The Alberta population has reached 5 million people and yet there has not been a hospital built since 1988 in Edmonton, when there were 2.5 million Albertans. The UCP cancelled the new South Edmonton Hospital and their announcement of new urgent care centres does not help the issue as it is not acute care. We still need more acute care hospital space.

Our patients suffer from government inaction to build a new hospital. We frequently think today will be the day the system collapses. In April, we completed a survey of patients. Of our 556 respondents, 24.5% said they experienced care in a non-traditional or non-private space, such as a hallway or waiting room. That is 1 in 4 people and 1 too many.